Automatic capping machine



Dec. 12, 1933. E, N i ET AL 1,939,126

AUTOMATIC CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 E Ma 71 71? inventou R Man 142 237 Dec. 12, 1933. E. MANNING ETAL AUTOMATIC CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 ySnnentQrS i (Ittorneg Edward Marmz'fl 05 A Marzrzz @WIW Dec. 12, 1933.

E. MANNING HAL AUTOMATIC CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 Ed a Mafzflz'fzj lhwenfolfi Roy A. Manning attorney;

8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 12, 1933. MANMNG 5 AL 1,939,126

AUTOMATIC 'CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 3nventors ipmwywzw Dec. 12, 1933. MANNNG r 1,939,126

AUTOMATI C CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 3nvcntors Edldarafiannz'n W 120 AlMamzz'n y z Clttornegi Dec. 12, 1933. E. MANNING ET AL AUTOMATIC CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 3nvento13 Edward H4 2021' 112% H. Man 11 z' E. MANNING ETAL 1,939,125

AUTOMATIC CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1932 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 I $4 Y fix I I53 1 152 0'4v 157 i i l 52% E 6/ 1.93 1 /63 I521 lhwenton Edward Manning 3 Roy A. Manny? Patented Dec. 12, 1933 UNITED STATES 1,939,126 j 7 AUTOMATIC 'CAPPING MACHINE.

Edward Manning. and Roy A. Manning, Rutland,.- Vt, assignors to Manning Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, Rutland, Vt.

Application January 20, 1932 Serial No. 587,816

10 Claims. (01. 2269-92 The invention forming the subject matter of this application relates to milk bottling machinery such as is in common use by dairy companies to bottle milk in half pint, pint and quart bottles for delivery to retail customers. The invention is particularly directed to machinery by which hottles of this character are automatically capped.

The main object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character inwhich the capping mechanism is greatly simplified over prior constructions and in which themachine'as a whole is greatly simplified to be cheaply manufactured and sold. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character having the parts thereof sufficiently heavy to eliminate vibration and at the same time to avoid all appearance of cumbersome construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type in which substantially all working parts are enclosed to run in large oil baths, thereby eliminating the necessity for frequent lubrication of these parts.

Still another object of the invention resides in Q the enclosing of all working parts to eliminate the possibility of milk, dirt, washwater, or other bacteria forming elements working into the under part of the machine. 7 7

Another outstanding feature of our invention resides in our use of a two speed motor to eliminate sliding change speed gears common in the prior art, and the consequent clashing of gears and mechanical troubles involved therein.

One of the most important features of our invention resides in the valve construction where by the capacity of this machine over prior machines, is greatly increased and whereby the depth to which the bottles may be filled can be nicely regulated so as to avoidwaste or over- ;g r: filling.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings: v Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine as a whole;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on-the line 2--2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a plan View; Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; V 7

Figure 6 is a detail, to an enlarged scale, of the bottle feeding mechanism illustrated in Figure .5; Figure '7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7--7 of Figure 6; V

Figure 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 88 of, Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a similar section illustrating the parts of Figure 2 in a different position;

Figure 1c. is a fragmentary vertical section. taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a vertical section of valve mechanism to control the automatic feeding of'milk from a tank to a bottle arranged below said valve; 4

Figure 12 is a vertical section taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a horizontal section taken on the line 13-13 of Figure 11;

Figure 14 is a bottom plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 12;

Figure ls is a fragmentary central vertical section through the upper part of an oscillating capper supporting shaft, and illustrating mechanism for adjusting the capper in various positions of adjustment relative'to the oscillating shaft;

Figure 16 is a fragmentary central section, to an enlarged scale, of the capper mechanism proper;

Figure 17 is a plan view of part of the capper mechanism removed from its support;

Figure '18 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section taken on the line 18-48 of Figure 16; and

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a capper guide plate illustrated in Figure 17. V

The mechanism of this machine is mounted upon a base plate 1 supported from a floor or platform by suitable standards 2, only two of which appear in the drawings; A two speed motor 3 is suitably mounted at one end of the base plate 1 and is provided with a reducing gear of well known type to rotate a drive shaft 4 at any suitable speed. A worm gear 5 secured to the shaft 4 meshes with a worm wheel 6 fixed to oneend of a shaft 7 journaled in suitable bearings 8 and 9, formed on a skirt 10 and bracket, 11 depending from the base plate 1. The shaft 7 has a beveled gear 12 secured thereto, and this beveled gear 12 meshes with a central gear 13 secured to a shaft 14 whichrotates the filling mechanism of this invention. The shaft 14 may be referred to hereinafter as the filling shaft.

The base plate 1 has suitably formed thereon a cylindrical casing provided at' its upper edge with an outwardly extending gutter 16. The base plate 1, at the center of the casing 15, is provided with an upwardly projecting bearing boss 17 adapted to receive and journal the shaft 14 of the filling mechanism.

The shaft 14 extends through the boss 17 and has connected thereto a cap l8 having its periphery downwardly bent to form a lip 19 encompassing the upper edge of the casing 15 and lying withinrthe gutter 16. 'The cap 18 rests on a step ballbearing 19 and is suitably secured to the shaft 14 by means of the screw and slot con nection 20 shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

' Near its outer edge the cap 18 is provided with a series of upwardly projecting cylindrical bosses 21 which form bearings for slide rods 22, each of which has a roller 23 pivoted to its lower end to slide in a groove 24 of r a cylindrical cam plate 25. As shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, there are. ten of these slide rods 22 and each of them is similarly mounted in a bearing boss 21 suitably formed on the cap 13. The upper end'of each rod has a bottle supporting plate 26 secured thereto; and each plate 26 has a cylindrical flange 27 depending from the lower side thereof. The flange 27 forms a sleeve which slides over the outside of the bearing boss 21 and is of sufiicient depth to cover the boss 21throughout all sliding movements thereon.

The purpose of this construction is to'prevent drippings of milk, washwater, or particles of dirt from entering the chamber formed by the casing 15 and the cap 18. This complete enclosure of the cam mechanism enables the working parts 7 thereof to be immersed in a bath of oil,.-which may be introduced into the said chamber through a filler pipe 28 mounted on the outside of the casing 15.

The shaft 14 extends upwardly through the cap 18 and has its upper end provided with screwthreads 29 on which a nut 36 provided with a hand wheel 31. is rotatably mounted to adjust vertically the milk tank 32 for filling various size bottles. The tank 32 is provided at its center with a downwardly extending sleeve 33, the lower end of which rests on the upper face of the nut 30. The tank 32 is secured for rotation with the shaft 14 by means of the screw and slot connection 34,

shown in Figure 2 of the drawings.

To transfer milk from the tank 32 to the bottles mounted on the plates 26, the bottom of the tank is provided with a series of downturned bosses 34 (see Figures 2, 11 and 12).- These bosses 34 are apertured to register with the curved apertures 35 formed in the bottom 36 of the 'milk tank 32 concentric with the bosses 34. The lower faces of bosses 34 are machined and tapped to form seats for supporting plates P detachably secured to said faces by suitable machine screws or other means. These plates P are centrally apertured and internally screwthreaded to receive the screwthreaded ends 35 of delivery tubes 36', each of which is provided near its upper end with a flange 37 seating in fluid tight connection with a plate P.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the aperture 35 in the bottom 36 of the tank merges smoothly with the inner wall of the delivery tube 36' so as to present no obstruction to the flow of milk down this tube and to eliminate-any corners or crevices inthe tank to trap and hold milk or dirt of any kind. This arrangement also facilitates the washing 'of the tank since there are no obstructions whatever within the tank due to the connection of the dischargetube thereto; and the entire tube assembly can be readily removed from the tank merely by detaching a plate P to which the assembly is attached.

At its lower end the tube 36' is screwthreaded to receive a centrally apertured plug 38. The aperture of the plug 38 has suitably secured thereto a vent. pipe 39 extending concentrically up through the tube 36 to the top of the tank 32. Particular attention is directed to the fact that the vent pipe 39 is supported wholly by the plug 38 and is not supported in any way by any connection within the tank 32. This means that the tube can be separately removed from the tank and tubeassembly merely by unscrewing plug 38 at the lower end of the tube 36'.

The tube 36' is provided at its opposite sides near the lower end thereof with discharge apertures 40 and 41. These apertures 40 and 41 are normally closed by the lower end of a sleeve 42 slidably mounted on the tube 36. The sleeve 42 is provided with an annular flange 43 against which is seated a frusto conical plug 44 of resilient material, such as rubber. The plug 44 fits on the lower end of the sleeve 42 with friction fit so as to move therewith. Normally the plug 44 is held against the plug 38 by means of a compression spring 45 which surrounds the upper end of the tube 42 and has its opposite ends abutted against the flanges 37 and 43.

As shown in Figure 12 of the drawings, the discharge apertures 40 and 41 are opened by up- Ward pressure of the milk bottles B on the resilient plugs 44 when the pedestals or plates 26 on which the bottles are mounted, are raised to their upper position by the cam mechanism shown in Figure 2.

The sanitary features of the valve mechanism just described will be obvious from inspection of Figures 11 and 120i the drawings. The milk goes down the side of a bottle, while the air and foam escapes through the milk tank by the center vent tube. This tube is easily removed for cleaning and sterilizing and the entire valve may be readily taken apart for cleaning when desired. The quantity of milk in each bottle can be nicely regulated by varying the size of the discharge openings 40 and 41 and by ad justing the position of the top edge of these openings relative to the sleeve 42. It will be evident from Figure 12 of the drawings that when the milk in the bottle B reaches the top edge of each of the openings 40 and 41 the milk will be trapped and cease to flow from the tank 32 so that the milk in the bottles will not rise any higher than the top of such openings.

The capper part of the mechanism is mounted on the'same base plate 1 as the filler mechanism. This capper includes a casing 47 similar to the casing 15 and similarly provided at its upper edge with an outwardly directed trough 48. The center of the casing 47 has a bearing flange 49 formed thereon and extending up to the level of the top edge of casing 47.

A sleeve 50 is journaled in bearing 49 and has a cap 51 suitably secured thereto: as by a set screw 52. The cap 51 is provided at its outer edge with a downwardly extending lip 53 which projects into the gutter formed by the flange 48. A step ball-bearing 54 is interposed between the cap 51 and the top of the bearing 49 in order to support the sleeve 50. The lower end of the sleeve has a bevel gear 55 secured thereto and meshing with a bevel pinion 56 secured to one end of a shaft 5'? journaled in brackets 58 and 59 depending from the lower face of the base 1' plate 1. The other end of the shaft 57 has a bevel pinion 60 secured theretoand meshing with the bevel gear 13 to be driven therefrom during its rotation by the shaft '7.

A shaft 61 is mounted rotatably in the sleeve 50 and has its lower end journaled in a step bearing 62 which is formed on a horizontally extending member 63 of a U-shaped bracket, the

legs of which are suitably secured to the skirt 10 at opposite sides thereof and below the base plate 1. The shaft 61 is oscillated in timed relation with therotation of the shaft 14 so as to cap each filled bottle as it is presented under the capping mechanism designated generally by the reference character C.

The timed oscillation of the shaft 61 is effected by means of a cam disk 64 suitably secured to the sleeve to be rotated'thereby. The disk 64 is provided with a star-shaped cam groove 65 (Figures 8, 9 and'10) in which slides a-pin 66 extending upwardlyfrom a plate'6'7' fixedly outer end'thereof to slide in a slot '71 formed in an arm '72 fixed to the shaft 61 to oscillate the same.

The oscillatory action of this mechanism'will be evident from inspection of Figures 8 and 9 of the'drawings, in which the arm 72 is shown in different angular positions due to the rotation of the cam disk 64 and its relation to the associated oscillating mechanism. The capping mechanism C is adjustably mount ed on the upper end of the shaft 61 to adapt the mechanism for capping bottles of various sizes; and will be fully described'hereinafter'.

As shown particularly'in Figure 3, the bottles are raised to the capping mechanism by a cam arrangement similar to that for raising the bottles in the filler part of the apparatus. In this case a cap 51 is provided with four cylindrical bosses "73 in which slide the rods '74 provided at their lower ends with'rollers '75 which rotate and slide in a cam groove '76 formed in the periphery of a cylinder '77 suitably formed on or secured to the base plate 1 concentric with the shaft61. The

upper end of each rod '74 has a bottle supporting plate '78 suitably secured thereto, and a flange '79 depending from the plate 78 to slide as a sleeve over the cylindrical boss '73.- This construction,

prevents dirt and drippings from passing downwardly along the bore of the boss '73 into the chamber formed by the casing 47 and the cap 51. This chamber formedbycasing 4'7 and cap 51 (see Figure 1) is provided with a filler pipe 80 for the admission of oil to form an oil bath for,

the mechanism in the casing. 1

The gutters 16 and 48 of the casings 15 and 47 have the upper ends of waste pipes 81'and 82 connected thereto; and the lower ends of these pipes are connected to a manifold 83 which may be run to a drain or other suitable receptacle for waste. This arrangement avoids the necessity for arranging unsanitary pails or pans around the apparatus to catch the drip. The overlapping caps 18 and 51, andthe overlapping sleeve flanges 2'7 and 79 for the bosses 21. and '73, respectively, protect the internal cam mechanism so that a wash hose may be turned on the bottle supporting parts of the filling and capping mech-'. anism without danger of spoiling the lubricatingmaterialin the casings 15 and 4'7.

The bottles are fed to the filling mechanism of this apparatus by means of an endless conveyor belt 84 mounted to be rotated by a drive sprocket 85 fixedly secured to a shaft 4 connected by suitable reducing gear to the drive motor. An idler sprocket 8'7 suitably supported on a. stub pivot 88; projecting from a standard (not shown) fixed to the base plate 1 supports the other end of the conveyor. ards 90and 91 from the base plate 1, is provided with a slot 92 to-permit the upper branch of the endless conveyor 84'to pass from the upper face of the table over the idler sprocket 87. below the table. Guide plates'93 and 94 are suitably'suppqrted,

the same.

A table 89 supported by standas by-brackets 95, 96 andothers (not shown) on opposite sides of the upper branch 97 of the endlessconveyor belt. The guide plates 93and- 94 terminate some distance from a curvedguide 98 concentrically arranged on the table 89 around a feeder shaft 99 to which'issecured a substantially star-shaped feeder plate 100 notched to receivebottles pushed from the endless conveyor by an oscillating pushermember 101.

The feeder shaft 99 is journaled near its upper end in a bracket 102 suitably secured to the lower side of' the table 69; which is provided with an aperture 103 through which the shaft 99 projects. The lower end of the shaft 99 is journaled in a bracket 104 suitably secured to the lower side of the base plat-e1. The lower end of the shaft 99 has al bevel gear 105 secured thereto; and this gear 105 meshes with a bevel gear 106se'cured'to the of a transverse shaft 107 journaled in brackets 108 and 109 secured to and depending from the lower side of the base plate 1. The shaft. 107 between the journaled brackets 108 and 109 hassecured thereto a worm gear 110 in mesh with a worm 111 (Figure 2) secured to a shaft 5'7.

The feeder plate 100 is provided with five notches adapted to receive bottles pushed thereinto'by the pusher member 101. The gearing for rotating the shaft 99 and the feeder platelOO must, of course, be suitably proportioned to feed the bottles along the table top 89 and around the arcuate guide .98 in timed relation to the rota: tion of thefiller shaft 14 so thatthe bottles may be removed from the table 89 and properly placedon the bottle supporting plates '26, as a prelirm-. nary step to the filling of the same;

The feeder disk 100 is rigidly fixed to theupper end of the shaft 99. In orderto avoid the possibility of breaking a bottle in case it should be presentedto one of the points of the feeder plate 100, the pusher'member 101 is designed to yield when any such occasion arises. This pusher member (see Figures 5, 6 and '7) comprises an arm 112 having its lower end pivotally mounted, between two angle brackets 113 and 114 fixed to the basegplate 1. -.Another arm 115 of the pusher memberprojects laterally from arm 112 and is extended upwardly to form a branch llfi from which a flange 117 extends inwardly over the top of the table 89.- 1A5 will be seen from Figure 1 of the drawings', the arm 115 operates below the table top 89' while the flange 117 extends above Inorder to accommodate bottles of different sizes, the flange 117 has two set screws 118 and j 119 screwthreaded thereto. These set screws extend through a slot 120 formed in the web .131 of a chamiel shape pusher member 122 which is slidably mounted on top of the flange 11'7. The pusher member 101 is oscillated in properly, timedrelation to the rotation of the feeder plate 100 by mean s of a plate 123 having a pivot 124 at one end thereof and slidably mounted in a slot 125 formed in the arm 115. The pivot 124 is connected by a spring 126 to a pin 12'7 fixed at the junction of the arm 115 and the upwardly extend- 1 ing branch116. The other end of the plate 123 has a pin 12 8 projecting laterally therefrom to slide in a cam groove 129'forn1ed in the periphcry of a cam cylinder 130. The plate 123 is supported in sliding engagement with the arms 112 and -115 by means of a channel shaped bracket 131 suitably secured to one side of said arms 112 and 115. A spring 132 connects the arm'1l2 to the plate 123 to hold the plate 123 in propersliding contact with the bracket 131. p

The cam cylinder 130 is secured tothe end 134 extending upwardly from the base plate 1. The other end of the shaft 133 is journaled in a bracket 135,:also extending upward fromthe basev plate 1. 'A bevel gear 136' secured to the end ofshaft 133-meshes. With-the bevel gear 137 secured to a vertical transfershaft 138 journaled at its upper end' in a bracket 139 fixed to'the lower face of the table 89, and at its lower end in a: bracket 140 depending from thebase plate 1. The. shaft 138 isdriven from the shaft 107 byimeans ofa bevel gear 141 secured to the end of shaft 107 and in mesh-with the gear 142 secured. to the lower end of the shaft 138.

' It. will appear from the foregoing disclosure that whenever a bottle contacts with any of the points of the. feeder plate 100 instead of being arranged immediately opposite one of the recesses in said plate, the pusher member 101 will pressyieldingly against the bottle until the feeder plate moves so that one of its notches isinposition. to receive a bottle in which case the pusher member will move the bottle into the proper notch.. It. will. be understood that the gearing for oscillating the pusher member must be proportioned to oscillate said member in preper timed relation to the rotation of the feeder plate sothat the pusher member will move inwardly at every instance when a notch of the feeder plate is properly located to receive a bottle from-the endless conveyor.

The shaft 138 projects through the table top 89 and has a transfer plate 143 fixed to the end thereof... This plate 143. has its periphery formed to provide four projecting lugs which. engage bottles as they rotate under the filler tank. The purpose of the transfer plate 143 is to remove the filled bottles and slide them on the' table 89, along the curved guard plate 144, onto one of the supporting plates 78 of the capping mechanism. The

shaft '138 and the transfer plate- 143 are rotated in timed relation to the other rotatable parts of the mechanism so as to remove the filled bottles from" the filling part of the apparatus and transfer them to the vertically movable plates 78 to be operated upon by the capping mechanismmount'ed-on the shaft 61.

Each of the plates '78 has aguard lug 145 projecting perpendicularly therefrom and near one edge'thereof. The guard'lugs 145 are designed to force filled and capped'bottles against the guard plate 146 which is supported perpendicularly from the table 89. The parts are proportioned and arranged so that the plates -'l8 are in their lowest position as they approach the guard plate 146 and' so that the upper-edge of the guard lug 145 clears the lower edge 147 of a projecting part of the guardplate 146. When the filled and capped bottles are moved by the cooperating action of the lugs 145 and plates 146 onto the table 89,"they may be removed either manually or by any suitable conveyor mechanism.

No claim to novelty is made herein to the specific shape of the feeder and transfer plates, or to the gearingwhich is necessary'to move the feeder and transfer plates in properly timed relation to the rotation of thesupports which move the bottles under the filler tank and cappermechanisms. A particularly important feature'of this invention resides in the elimination of many duplicate capping mechanisms or rotary headssuch, as are common in this art, and in subu therefor a sin e cappin d vice which. oscillates above the bottle capping supports in timed relation to the rotation thereof.

0f'a'shaft,133,journa1ed at one endin a bracket Another very important feature of this ap-' paratusresidesin the design and construction of the filling tank which is so shaped that all milk in the tanks drains freely to the filling valves detachably connected to the bottom of the tank.

One' important feature which lends itself to the steady operation of the filling and capping mechanism, resides in the manner inwhich the bottles are raised and lowered relative to their rotary filling and capping supports. It is to be notedthat there are nosprings employed in this raising and lowering mechanism, but that the movements of the anti-friction rollers in the cylindrical cam grooves constitutes a positive means for elevating and lowering the aforesaid bottle supports. This construction assures the bottles being raised and lowered in each case through a fixed distance with the result that the tops of the. bottles, as shown in Figure 12 of the drawings, always occupy a fixed position relative to the upper edges of the discharge apertures 40 and 41'. This means that every bottle presented to the filling mechanism is filled to an exact distance from the top thereof and thereby the overfiow and waste common in devices of theprior art is eliminated.

In this apparatus we have entirely eliminated the usual change speed gearing for varying the speed of the several parts thereof in accordance with the type of bottles being filled. We employ a two speed motor M controlled by a rheostat R conveniently mounted near the discharge end of the machine. The handle H of this rheostat may be moved to either of two positions in order to change from one speed to the other. This motor is built with two windings, and the machine can be run on either winding. This gives the apparatus a safety factor not present in the ordinary single speed motor.

A casing 148 may be detachably supported from the base plate 1 to enclose and protect the gearing below this base'plate.

Thecapper C disclosed in the drawings comprises'a'casing 149 adapted to support a carton or cylinder 150 in whichis arranged a column of stacked fiat pasteboard caps of the type commonly used for capping milk bottles. The mechanism mounted at the bottom of the casing and notshown, is operated by upward pressure of a milk bottle'151. to move the caps, one at a time. from the stacked column into position to beforced into' closing position on the mouth of a bottle presented thereto.

As-a means for supporting the capping mecha nism on the oscillating shaft 61, the said mechanism' is provided with a plunger rod 152 slidably mounted in a lateral extension 152' of the casing 149 and extending through an aperture in a bracketw153 projecting laterally from a substantially rectangular sleeve 154 mounted to slide vertically on the oscillating shaft 61. The upper end of the plunger rod projecting through the bracket 153 slides freely through a strap 155 having an aperture therethrough to surround the upper part of the carton 150 and hold it vertically in position as supported by the casing 149. The strap 155 is supported from bracket 153 by a rod 155 having one end tapped into or otherwise secured to the bracket 153 The upper end of rod 155' is shouldered to form a seat for strap 155 which is secured'in seated position by means of a 'set' screw S tapped axially into the end of rod 155.

The rod 152 is diametrically bored near its upper end to'receive a pin p for supporting'the casing 149.

rod and capper mechanism from the bracket 153; and a coil spring 156 is interposed between the bottom face of the strap 155 and the top face of the pin p to limit the upward movement of mechanism resiliently supported on the bracket 153.

. The coil spring 157 is interposed between the top edge of the lateral extension 152' and the lower face of the bracket 153 to resist yieldingly the upward pressure of a bottle on the guide flange F during a capping operation. The coil spring 156 is not absolutely necessary, because it performs the same function as the spring 157; and it may be omitted altogether., In any case, it should not have suflicient strength to distort the supporting rod 155 and thereby displace the strap 155. It is to be noted that the pin in supports the entire capping mechanism from. the bracket 153 so that this mechanism can be removed as a whole merely by removing the pin 10 from itssupporting position in the diametrically bored hole, in the plunger rod 152. a

The upper end of the shaft 61 is screwthreaded to receive a nut 158 connected by a spider 159 to a hand wheel 160. The nut 158 is rotatably secured by any suitable means to the rectangular sleeve 154 and is adapted by its rotation to raise and lower the sleeve on the oscillating shaft 61. In order to position the sleeve 154 inany one of several predetermined positions, the sleeve is provided with a slot 161 having a series of arcuate notches 162 formed in the opposite 'edges of the slot. A locking pin 163 is screwthreaded radially into the shaft 61 and extends through the slot 161. The locking pin isprovided with a handle 164 "tofacilitate rotationthereof and the part 'of the pin adjacent to the slot 161 is' enlarged, in the lengthwise direction of the handle 164, to seat notches 162. It will be evident that this pin and slot connectionforms a means wherebythe sleeve 154 is permanently held against angular rotation on the shaft 61, but ispermitted tobe moved upwardly and downwardly on said shaft 61 and to be locked in any predetermined position, depending upon thesizes of the bottles to be 'operated upon by the capping mechanism in the As shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the milk tank 32 is provided with a top T having the usualvent aperture 165 formed in the center thereof, and provided with'corrugated annular stiifening ribs 166 and 167 concentric withthe said vent aperture 165. v r

The capper mechanism of this apparatus is a very simple type. The casing 149 is provided near-its lower end with a shoulder 168 adapted to support the lower end of a carton 150 and permit the carboarcl capping disks d to pass through the casing 149 and be supported at their opposite edges by the arms 169 andl70 of a substantially horse shoe shaped plate 171 secured to the casing 149 by means of machine screws 172, '173 and 174. The screw 172 passes through an the lower cap of the stack of caps d and moving The screws 173 and 174 it laterally into a position vertically over a bottle B and in the path of the plunger rod 152.

The fiangeextension 175 is provided with a circular aperture slightly smaller in diameter than that of the caps d, and has its upper edge beveled to form a seat for a cap moved-thereover'by thereciprocating sliding action of the plate 177. When thus seated, the cap is centrally supported over an aperture formed in a positioning plate 178 whichis arcuately curved in its lower face to center a bottle B under the axis of the plunger rod 152. When a bottle 13' is raised by the rotaticnof the cap 51, supporting the plates 73, the bottle is forced upwardly against the. guide plate 178 axially along the plunger rod 152 which, as described above, is yieldingly supported by the bracket 153. The upward movement of the bottle B causes pressure of the plunger rod 152 'against a cap 11 positioned centrally over the bottle, and this pressure moves the cap into sealing position in the neck of the bottle B.

It is to be noted that in the capping mechanism, as in the filling mechanismthe bottles are moved up'and down through a'predetermined distance so that all possibility of forcing the cap too far into the bottle neck is eliminated with the consequent elimination of spillage which would result from the improper capping operation.

The slide plate 177 is channel shaped in cross 'in the drawings, but it'is to be understood that the" arm 190 is similarly mounted on the other side of'the casing. Each of the arms'189 and 190 is provided with a lug 192 forming a slot which slidably receives the projecting ends of a pin 193 passing diametrically through the plunger rod 152 (see Figure 18). The projecting ends of pin 193 slide up and down in slots 194 and 195 formed diametrically opposite each other in the '1 extension 152'.

The arrangement just described is such that when the bottle B forces the casing upwardly against the plunger rod 152, the sliding plate 177 is moved to the right hand, as shown in Figure 1.:-

16, under'the laterally extending flange 176 until its arcuate edge 196 is clear of the column of caps d. This permits the column of caps to fall downwardlyg onto the'arms 169-and 170, when the bottle 3 begins to descend the spring 157, and

forces the casing 149 downwardly. This downward movement causes the pin 198 to operate the arms 189 and 190 to pull the sliding plate 177 to the'left, asshown in Figure 16, and thereby move the bottom cap of the column of caps d j into position centrally over the guiding flange F.

While we have described our invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be under- 11 stood that we do not limit our invention thereto, since various modificationsthereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention, the

s o e .1 which is set forth in the annexed claims. it

What we claim is: c

1. In a bottle capping machine; an oscillating shaft; a capping machine mechanism carried thereby and including an annular member adapted to engage and position the neck of a bottle; a plunger reciprocable through the. aperture of said member; a supply tube for bottle caps, feed mechanism to feed the caps one by one over said aperture, a verticallyand rotably movable standard on which the bottles are supported as they pass through the machine, means for automatically feeding bottles to and from said standard, and means for rotating said standard in synchronism with the oscillation of the capping mechanism and for vertically reciprocating said standard through a predetermined distance during the rotation thereof. 7

2. In a bottle capping machine; the combination with an oscillating supporting frame; a capping mechanism extending radially of said frame and comprising a plunger carrying rod slidable vertically in said frame, a plunger at the end of said rod, a vertically movable member surrounding the plunger and terminating at its lower end in an annular member adapted to engage and position the top of a bottle, a rotatably and vertically movable bottle support, a cap tube carried by the vertically movable member, a slide reciprocating across the bottom of the tube to move the caps from said tube one by one beneath the plunger, means automatically operated by the vertical movement of said support to reciprocate the slide, means for oscillating the supporting frame, a stationary frame, and means connecting the stationaryframe and vertically movable bottle support to raise .the latter at a predetermined point in its rotation.

3. In a bottle capping machine; an oscillating standard, a capping mechanism carried thereby and comprising an annular member adapted to engage and position a bottle neck, a plunger reciprocable in said member, a supply tube for caps, feeding mechanism to feed the caps one byv one over-said member, a support on which a bottle is carried as it passes through the machine, means for automatically feeding bottles toward and from said support, and means for rotating and vertically moving said support to cause the bottles supported thereby to be capped by relative vertical movement of said jaw and support.

4. In a bottle capping machine, the combination with an oscillating head, of a frame rotating beneath said head and at'the same rate of angular movement as the head when the head is oscillating in the same direction, verticallyrmovable bottle supports mounted on said frame, means for raising said supports as they pass a-predeterminedpoint in their cycle of rotation, capping mechanism carried by said head vertically over the bottle supports and operable automaticallyto cap a bottle carried into engagement therewith by the upward movement of its support, said capping mechanism comprising a holder for stacked, fiat, pasteboard caps, a member-movable across the bottom of the holder to feed the caps one by one toa position vertically above the top of a milk bottle carried by said support, and means operable to force a fed cap into the neck of a bottle by relative movement of the member and bottle.

track with which the lower ends of the bottle supports are connected to raise the supports at a predetermined point in their rotation, a capping mechanism carried by the oscillating head over the bottle supports and operable automatically to cap a bottle moved into engagement therewith by upward movement of a support, said capping mechanism comprising a holder for stacked, fiat pasteboard caps, a cap feeding slide movable across the lower end of the holder to move the caps one by one to a predetermined position above the top of a bottle carried by a support, and means operating to force a fed cap into the throat of a bottle by relative movement of said. means and bottle.

6. In a bottle capping machine, the combination with an oscillating head, of a frame rotating below said head, vertically movable bottle supports mounted on said frame at equal radial distances from the axis of rotation thereof, rollers journaled on the lower ends of said supports, a cylindrical cam track fixed below the rotating frame and having a cam groove formed in its periphery to receive said rollers, capping mechanism carried by said head vertically over the bottle supports and operating automatically to cap a bottle moved into engagement therewith by upward movement of a support, said mechanism comprising a, holder for a column of fiat pasteboard caps, a cap feeding member movable across the holder to move the caps one by one to a position vertically over each support, and means operating to force a fed cap into the neck of a bottle by relative movement of said means and bottle.

'7. Abottle capping machine, a stationary support, a vertical shaft oscillating on said support,

a head extending-laterally from said shaft and ing said supports successively as they pass a certain point in their cycle of rotation under said head, a capping mechanism carried by the head vertically over said supports and operable automatically to cap a bottle carried into engagement therewith by upward movement of the supports, said mechanism comprising a holder for flat pasteboard caps, a cap feeding member movable across the bottom of the holder to move the caps one by one to a position above the top of the milk bottle on one of said supports, means operable to force the fed cap into the neck of the bottle by relativemovement of the member and bottle, and means for vertically adjusting the head on the shaft to adapt the machine for capping different size bottles.

8. A bottle capping machine, a stationary support, a vertical shaft oscillating on said support,

a head extending laterally from said shaft and oscillatable therewith, a frame rotating below said head, vertically movable bottle supports slidably mounted on said frame, means for raising 'saidsupportssuccessively as they pass a certain pointin their cycle of rotation under said head, a capping mechanism carried by the head vertically over said supports and operable automatically to cap a bottle carried into engagement therewith by upward movement of the supports, said mechanism comprising a holder for flat pasteboard caps, a cap feeding member movable across the bottom of the holder to move the caps one by oneto a position above the top of the milk bottle on one of said supports, means operable to force the fed cap into the neck of the bottle by relative movement of the member and bottle,

means for vertically adjusting the head on the shaft to adapt the machine for capping different size bottles, and means for holding the head in adjusted position.

9. In a bottle capping machine, a rotary frame having a plurality of bottle supports slidable perpendicularly thereon, a head oscillating above said frame and having a capping mechanism movable vertically over said supports, said mechanism comprising a holder for a column of stacked, flat pasteboard caps, means for moving the caps one by one to a position above said supports, means operated to force a fed cap into the throat of a bottle by relative movement of the cap feeding means and bottle, means for rotating the frame and oscillating the head and causing successive movements of the supports and capping mechanism to cap the bottles during each rotation of the frame and oscillation of said head.

EDWARD MANNING. ROY A. MANNING. 

